When a user logs in to a service provider, SURFconext sends a so-called SAML assertion to the service provider. This SAML assertion contains a number of statements about the user who is logging in to you service, including his identity, and possibly a number of additional attributes (see below). More information about SAML can be found on this page.In general,
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SURFconext's SAML2 implementation adheres to the SAML2int standard. |
Contents of On this page :we will show you which attributes SURFconext and their Identity Providers have to offer.
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User identifiers
The user's identity is transmitted in the form of the NameId NameID element of the SAML statement. SPs Service Providers should use the NameId NameID (rather than email address, or other attributes that might change over time) to identify users. The NameId is guaranteed to be stable and never change for a fixed user (except in the case of transient identifiers, see below).
SURFconext can provide NameIds NameIDs of three 2 different types:
- A persistent identifier. A persistent NameId NameID contains a random string that uniquely identifies the user for this SP, and which persists over multiple sessions for the same user.
- A transient identifier. A transient NameId NameID contain a random string that uniquely identifies the user for this SP during the session. Once the user's session at SURFconext expires and the users logs into your service once more, a new transient identifier will be generated for the user and SP.
- A legacy identifier. A legacy NameId contains a human-readable identifier of the form
urn:collab:person:example.com:johndoe. This form of the identifier is deprecated and is not available for newly connected services. The reason for this is that SURFconext wants to have fine-grained control over the released attributes. This is easier to manage if no personal information is disclosed in the NameId identifier. If the SP needs information that is contained in the legacy NameId format (for example, the user's home institution), they should use proper attributes (for example, schacHomeOrganisation, see below) as a source for this information.
Persistent and transient identifiers typically have the form "bd09168cf0c2e675b2def0ade6f50b7d4bb4aaef". However, this form may change in the future, and service providers MUST NOT rely on the fact that the NameId is a 40-character hexadecimal string.
The two supported NameId types, for respectively persistent and transient NameId specifiers, are
urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:nameid-format:persistenturn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:nameid-format:transient
which are specified in sections 8.3.7 and 8.3.8 of the SAML2 core specification.
By default, SURFconext offers the transient form of the NameId to services. Service providers who have a need for persistent identifiers can negotiate use of the persistent NameId format when their service is connected to SURFconext.
Attributes
By default, the NameId is the only piece of information about the authenticated user that SURFconext conveys to SPs. However, in many cases these services require more information about the user, such as a name or an email address.
Because of European privacy regulations, we cannot release such information to the SPs by default. In order to receive additional information, the user's home institution needs to give permission for each SP to receive its users' data. Typically, such permission will be arranged for during the initial SURFconext setup procedure.
Furthermore, when a user first logs in to a service, SURFconext informs them about the attributes and the information contained therein that is going to be sent to the service. If the user does not consent to his information being transmitted, they can still abort the login to the service.
SURFconext supports two atttributes schemas: the urn:oid schema and the urn:mace schema. Both of these can be used to convey the same information (except for the NameId, which is only available in the urn:oid schema. By default SURFconext will provide attributes in both schemata as part of the assertion. It is not recommended to mix the use of these schemata, but for legacy reason SURFconext offers both.
Attribute overview
SURFconext supported relaying of the following attributes:
Persistent and transient identifiers typically have the form 'bd09168cf0c2e675b2def0ade6f50b7d4bb4aaef'. However, this form may change in the future.
The two supported NameID types, for respectively persistent and transient NameID specifiers, are:
urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:nameid-format:persistenturn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:nameid-format:transient
Attribute schemas
SURFconext supports two atttributes schemas: the urn:oid schema and the urn:mace schema. Both of these can be used to convey the same information (except for the NameID, which is only available in the urn:oid schema. By default SURFconext will provide attributes in both schemata as part of the assertion. It is not recommended to mix the use of these schemata, but for legacy reason SURFconext offers both.
Attribute overview
SURFconext supported relaying of the following attributes:
Friendly name | Attribute name | S/M | Definition | Data type | Example | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(NameID) |
| UTF8 string | bd09168cf0c2e675b2def0ade6f50b7d4bb4aae | ||||||
| UTF8 string | Vermeegen | |||||||
| UTF8 string | ||||||||
Friendly name | Attribute name | S/M | Definition | Data type | Example | ||||
(NameId) |
| UTF8 string | bd09168cf0c2e675b2def0ade6f50b7d4bb4aae | ||||||
| UTF8 string | Vermeegen | |||||||
| UTF8 string | Mërgim Lukáš | |||||||
| UTF8 String | Prof.dr. Mërgim Lukáš Vermeegen | |||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:displayName |
| UTF8 String | Prof.dr. Mërgim L. Vermeegen | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:mail |
| RFC-5322 address | m.l.vermeegen@university.example.org | ]]></ac:plain-text-body></ac:structured-macro> | |||||
urn:mace:terena.org:attribute-def:schacHomeOrganization |
| RFC-1035 domain string | university.example.org | ||||||
urn:mace:terena.org:attribute-def:schacHomeOrganizationType |
| RFC-2141 URN | urn:mace:terena.org:schac:homeOrganizationType:int:university | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:eduPersonAffiliation |
| Enum type (UTF8 String) | faculty, student, staff, (alum, member, affiliate, employee, library-walk-in) | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:eduPersonEntitlement |
| RFC-2141 URN | to be determined per service | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:eduPersonPrincipalName |
| UTF8 String | not.a@vålîd.émail.addreß | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:isMemberOf |
| RFC-2141 URN | urn:collab:org:surf.nl | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:uid |
| UTF8 String | s9603145 | ||||||
urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:preferredLanguage | List of BCP47 language tags | nl | |||||||
eduPersonTargetedID | UTF8 String | s9603145 | urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:preferredLanguageeduPersonTargetedID |
| List of BCP47 language tags | UTF8 string | 24d66f51ac1c0b140e617af335b9abb4b8d88a5b nl |
Note that not all identity providers might make all attributes available.
Detailed attribute descriptions
ID
See conextdocumentation:above User identifiers.
Surname
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | single-valued |
Description | The surname of a person (including any words such as "van", "de", "von" etc.) used for personalisation; this can be a combination of existing attributes. |
Notes |
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Given name
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | single-valued |
Description | Given name / "name known by"; combinations of title, initials, and "name known by" are possible. |
Notes |
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Common name
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | multi-valued |
Description | Full name. |
Notes | For example, a typical name of a person in an English-speaking country comprises a personal title (e.g. Mr., Ms., Rd, Professor, Sir, Lord), a first name, middle name(s), last name, generation qualifier (if any, e.g. Jr.) and decorations and awards (if any, e.g. CBE). |
...
s), last name, generation qualifier (if any, e.g. Jr.) and decorations and awards (if any, e.g. CBE). |
Display name
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | single-valued |
Description | Name as displayed in applications |
Notes |
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Email address
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | urn:oid:1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.15 |
Multiplicity | single-valued |
Description | Name as displayed in applications |
Notes |
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...
Multiplicity | multi-valued |
Description | e-mail address; syntax in accordance with RFC 5322 |
Notes |
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uid
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | urn:oid:0.9.2342.19200300.1001.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.315 |
Multiplicity | multi-valued |
Description | e-mail address; syntax in accordance with RFC 5322 |
Notes |
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uid
The unique code for a person that is used as the login name within the institution. | |
Notes |
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Home organisation
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | single-valued |
Description | The user's organisation using the organisation's domain name; syntax in accordance with RFC 1035. |
Notes |
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urn:mace | |
urn:oid |
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Multiplicity | multi-valued |
Description | The unique code for a person that is used as the login name within the institution. |
Notes |
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...
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Organization type
urn:mace | ||
urn:oid | ||
Multiplicity | single-valued | |
Description | The user's organisation using the organisation's domain name; syntax in accordance with RFC 1035. | |
urn:oid | Notes | In the past, SURFconext used to send the home organisation in the attribute 1466.115.12115, which was incorrect. Since 2013, the correct oid urn:oid:1.3.6.1.4.1.25178.1.2.9 is in use. For reasons of compatibility, the old (wrong) key is also still sent. It should not be used in new implementations. |
...
Multiplicity | single-value |
Description | designation of the type of organisation as defined on http://www.terena.org/registry/terena.org/schac/homeOrganizationType |
Notes |
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Affiliation
urn:mace | urn:mace:terena.orgdir:attribute-def:schacHomeOrganizationTypeeduPersonAffiliation |
urn:oid | urn:oid:1.3.6.1.4.41.5923.1.251781.1.2.101 |
Multiplicity | single multi-value valued |
Description | designation of the type of organisation as defined on http://www.terena.org/registry/terena.org/schac/homeOrganizationType |
Notes |
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...
Indicates the relationship between the user and his home organisation. The following values are permitted:
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Notes | Identity providers might internally use additional values for the affilication attribute, such as |
Entitlements
urn:mace | urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:eduPersonAffiliationeduPersonEntitlement |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | multi-valued value |
Description | Indicates the relationship between the user and his home organisation. The following values are permitted:
|
Notes | Identity providers might internally use additional values for the affilication attribute, such as |
Entitlements
entitlement; custom URI (URL or URN) that indicates an entitlement to something. | |
Notes |
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Principle name
urn:mace | urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:eduPersonEntitlementeduPersonPrincipalName |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | multi single-value valued |
Description | entitlement; custom URI (URL or URN) that indicates an entitlement to something. |
Notes |
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...
Unique identifier for a user. | |
Notes |
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isMemberOf
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | single multi-valued |
Description | Unique identifier for a user. |
Notes |
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...
Lists the collaborative organisations the user is a member of. | |
Notes |
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Preferred Language
urn:mace | |
urn:oid | |
Multiplicity | multi single-valued |
Description | Lists the collaborative organisations the user is a member of. |
Notes |
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...
a two-letter abbreviation for the preferred language according to the ISO 639 language abbreviation code table; no subcodes. | |
Notes | Used to indicate an individual's preferred written or spoken language. This is useful for international correspondence or human-computer interaction. Values for this attribute type MUST conform to the definition of the Accept-Language header field defined in RFC 2068 with one exception: ?the value " |
EduPersonTargetedID
urn:mace | urn:mace:dir:attribute-def:preferredLanguageeduPersonTargetedID | |||
urn:oid | urn:oid:2.16.8401.3.6.1.4.1.5923.1.1137301.3.1.3910 | |||
Multiplicity | single-valued | |||
Description | Automatically generated (and overwritten) by SURFconext with a copy from Subject -> NameID | |||
Notes | This attribute is specified because Subject -> NameID is not part of the SAML 2.0 response. | a two-letter abbreviation for the preferred language according to the ISO 639 language abbreviation code table; no subcodes. | Notes | Used to indicate an individual's preferred written or spoken language. This is useful for international correspondence or human-computer interaction. Values for this attribute type MUST conform to the definition of the Accept-Language header field defined in RFC 2068 with one exception: ?the value " |